Just a quick check-in to report that I’m still alive.
Most of my free time (and creativity) is going into two new comedy writing competitions, Last Laugh and Shoot the Writers – hence the lack of updates here.
One thing I’m not doing is anything to do with the election. After being a [intlink id=”campaign-diary” type=”page”]candidate[/intlink] in 2001, running a team of reporters covering it in 1997, working as an activist in 1992 and 1987, and being involved in school elections in 1983 and 1979, I’m taking this one off – in so much as it’s possible to do so when you’re terrified of the implications of Labour’s demolition of civil liberties and the Tories’ marginally more subtle resurrection of their 40-year-old “If you want a nigger for a neighbour vote Liberal or Labour” campaign. So I’ll probably do a little delivery and / or telephone canvassing in a couple of key seats, but that’s about it.
For something that used to be such a huge part of my life, I’m not missing politics at all. Very odd. But please note that this is not an invitation to tell me how pointless the whole business is, as some have in the past. It’s not – it’s future of our country and the most important thing in our lives, and if you doubt that just look at the scary mess in the US of A at the moment. It’s just that after more than 20 years of going for it like a bull at a gate, I need to stand back, recharge and let others take the lead for a while.